This invention relates to the art of electromagnetically operated fluid pumps, and more particularly to a new and improved electromagnetic pump which operates at extremely low power.
One area of use of the present invention is implantable drug delivery systems, although the principles of the present invention can be variously applied. The principal requirements for a pump in such applications are low power drain, since the pump must be driven by an implanted battery, and compatibility with the drug being pumped. Additional important requirements are that the pump have a simplified structure and method of assembly while at the same time having improved performance, that the pump operates in a manner preventing damage to fragile drugs such as insulin, that moving parts of the pump be resistant to wear and that the stroke volume of the pump be adjustable within a relatively short time.
It would, therefore, be highly desirable to provide an electromagnetically operated pump which is safe, reliable, small in size, light in weight, which operates without excessive demand on the available energy supply, which is compatible with drugs or similar liquids to be pumped, which has a relatively simple structure and method of assembly while at the same time having improved performance, which operates in a manner preventing damage to fragile drugs such as insulin, which has wear resistant movable parts and which has a relatively quickly adjustable stroke volume.